Gate latch



Nov. 18, 1958 P. R. NARANCIQCH ET AL GATE LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1957 INVENTORS P. R. NARANCICH ET AL 2,860,903

Nov. 18, 1958 GATE LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1957 Pele R. Narancich N/ck H Alumna/cl:

INVENTORS (Wavy 3M United States Patent GATE LATCH Pete R. Narancich and Nick H. Narancich, Twin Bridges, Mont.

Application June 14, 1957, Serial No. 665,753

Claims. (Cl. 292-48) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in gate construction, and more specifically to an improved gate latch.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved gate latch which will automatically latch a gate when it is moved from an open position to a closed position and which is of such a construction whereby it may not be opened by cattle or other farm animals by rubbing on the gate.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved gate latch which includes an arcuate guide memher, the guide member providing ramps at opposite ends thereof for a latch arm of a gate whereby the gate is lifted in the latching process and thus is prevented from sagging. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved gate latch which is of such a construction whereby the moving parts are restricted to a minimum whereby the life of the gate latch is increased and at the same time the manufacturing cost thereof is greatly reduced.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved gate latch which is so constructed whereby it will effectively retain a gate in a latched position by merely swinging the gate to a closed position and at the same time is easily releasable by moving a trip operator in the direction it is desired to open the gate.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a gate construction in the vicinity of the free end of a gate and shows the details of the gate latch which is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and shows further the specific details of the gate latch; V

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the gate construction, the gate per se being omitted and only a portion of the gate post being shown for purposes of clarity;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the details of mounting of a trip member on the trip operator and the relationship of the trip member with respect to an upper end of one of the gate latches.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a portion of a gate construction, this being shown in Figure 1. The gate construction includes the gate which is mounted for swinging movement about a vertical axis, the gate being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The gate includes formation.

a frame 12 which in turn includes an upright end frame member 14. The frame member 14 is disposed adjacent a gate post 16 when the gate 10 is in a closed position. The gate post 16 also forms a suitable terminal for fencing 18. Carried by the gate '10 and the gate post 16 is the gate latch which is the subject of this invention, the gate latch being referred to in general by the reference numeral 26.

The gate latch 20 includes a mounting bracket 22 which is in the form of a flat plate which extends vertically and which is secured to that face of the gate post 16 opposing the frame member 14 by means of a plurality of fasteners 24. The fasteners 24 may either be in the form of lag bolts or conventional bolts, depending upon the -particular type of gate post 16 which is used. Secured to the lower part of the mounting bracket 22 and extending outwardly therefrom towards the gate 10 is an arcuate guide member 26 which has its highest point at the center thereof. By making the guide member 26 arcuate, ramps are provided at opposite ends thereof. The guide member 26 is engaged by a latch arm 28 which is secured to the frame member 14; The latch, arm 28 riding up on the guide member 26 lifts the end of the gate 10 adjacent the gate post 16 so as to prevent sagging of the gate 10.

In'order that the latch arm 28 may be retained in its solid line position of Figure 2, there is provided a pair of latch dogs30. Each of the latchdogs 30 includes a relatively wide lower portion 32, an upper intermediate portion 34 which is tubular, and an upper end 36 which is in the form of an inwardly facing socket. Passing through the tubular upper intermediate portion 34 is a headed pivot pin 38 carried by the mounting bracket22.

Extending between the upper end 36 and secured thereto by means of suitable fasteners 40 is a tension spring 42. The tension spring 42 serves to urge the lower ends of the latch dogs 30 outwardly away from each other into engagementv with the guide member 26. The lower edges of the latch dogs 30 are beveled as at 44 to have full engagement with the guide member 26.

It is to be noted that the latch dogs30 converge downwardly so that they are arranged in generally V-shaped When the gate 10 is closed, the latch arm 28 is disposed between the lower ends of the latch dogs 30 and thus restrained in its movement. is applied on the gate 10, the latch arm 28 moves in the direction of pressure until it engages the lower end of one of the latch dogs 30. Continued pressure on the gate 10 results in the latch dog 30 being urged more firmly against the guide member 26 and thereby the opening of the gate 10 by farm animals is prevented.

In order to facilitate the releasing of the latch arm 28, there is provided a trip operator which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 46. The trip operator 46 include a lower portion 48 which is in the form of a flat bar which is pivotally mounted with respect to the mounting bracket 22 by means of a pivot pin 50. Extending upwardly from the bar 48 is an elongated rod 52 which has mounted on the upper end thereof a knoblike handle 54. Swinging movement of thetrip operator 46 is limited by means of stop pins 56 carried by the mounting bracket 22 on opposite sides of the lower portion 48. I

Extending transversely between the upper ends. 36 of the latch dogs 30 is a trip member which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 58. The trip member 58, as is best shown in Figure 5, includes a transverse bar 60 which is provided at the opposite ends thereof with rounded projections 62. The projections 62 extend transversely of the bar 60 on opposite sides thereof. It is to be noted that the upper ends 36 are shaped to correspond to the shape of the projections 62 and thus form sockets therefor. The intermediate portion of the Patented Nov. ra isss.

When pressure 3 bar 60 is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 64 carried by the lower end of the trip operator 46.

In order to release the arm 28, it is merely necessary to move the trip operator 46 to one side or the other of the center thereof, depending upon the direction it is desired to open the gate. Pivotal movement of the trip operator 46 to a position such as the dotted line position of Figure 2, results in the trip member being moved in theopposite direction whereby it pivotstone of the latch dogs 30 to a released position, such as the dotted line position of Figure 2, whereby the latch arm 28 is free to be moved out from between the latch dogs 30.

From the foregoing description of the gate, latch 20, it will be seen that the latch dogs 30 are the primary moving parts and they have actually no parts to wear. In order to prevent the binding of the latch dogs 3%, the intermediate portions 34 are provided with oil holes 66 to provide a lubricated connection between the latch dogs 30 and the pivot pins 38.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be readily apparent that the mounting bracket 22 may be mounted on any type of gate post and that the latch arm 28 is merely in the form of a stud which may be secured either to a metal gate frame or a wooden gate frame, as the case may be The toregoingis considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur, to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de scribed, and accordingly, all suitable modification and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A gate latch assembly comprising a latch arm adapted to be carried by a swinging gate, a mounting bracket adapted. to be carried by a gate post, a guide member carried by said mounting bracket for engagement by said latch arm, a pair of downwardly converging latch dogs having lower ends engaging said .guide, member and being restricted in movement, away from each-other by said guide member, pivotmeans pivotally mounting said latch dogs on said mounting bracket, spring means urging the lower ends of said, latch dogs apart and resiliently retaining said .latch dogs in engagement with saidguide member, said latch'dogs having upper ends extending above said pivot means, a horizontally elongate trip member extending between said upper ends, said upper ends of the latch dogs and the opposite ends of said trip member being so formed as to permit horizontal separation thereof without permitting vertical separation therebetween, and a vertically elongate trip operator having an intermediate portion pivotally mounted on said mounting bracket and having its lower end pivotally connected to a portion of said trip member intermediate said upper ends of thelatch dogs for horizontally shifting said trip member.

2. A gate latch assembly comprising a latch arm adapted to be carried by a swinging gate, a mounting bracket adapted to be carried by a gate post, a guide member carried by said mounting bracket for engagement by said latch arm, a pair of downwardly converging latch dogs having lower ends engaging said guide memberand being restricted in movement away from each otherby said guide member, pivot means pivotally mounting-said 1 enlarged end portions, said upper ends of said latch dogs being in the form of sockets for said end portions.

3. A gate latch assembly comprising a latch arm adapted to be carried by a swinging gate, a mounting bracket adapted to be carried by a gate post, a guide member carried by said mounting bracket for engagement by said latch arm, a pair of downwardly converging latch dogs having lower ends engaging said guide member and being restricted in movement away from each other by said guide member, pivot means pivotally mounting said latch dogs on said mounting bracket, spring means urging the lower ends of said latch dogs apart and resiliently retaining said latch dogs in engagement with said guide member, said latch dogs having upper ends extending above said pivot means, a trip member extending between said upper ends, and a trip operator pivotally mounted on said mounting bracket for actuating said trip member, means pivotally mounting said trip member on said trip operator, said trip member including an elongated bar and enlarged end portions, said upper ends of said-latch dogs being in the form of sockets for said end portions, said guide member being longitudinally curved to form ramps for said latch arm.

4. A gate latch assembly comprising a latch arm adapted to be carried by a swinging gate, a mounting bracket adapted to be carried by a gate post, a guide member carried by said mounting bracket for engagement by said latch arm, a pair of downwardly converging latch dogs having lower ends engaging said guide member and being restricted in movement away from each other by said guide member, pivot means pivotally mounting said latch dogs on said mounting bracket, spring means urging the lower ends of said latch dogs apart and resiliently retaining said latch dogs in engagement with said guide member, said latch dogs having upper ends extending above said pivot means, a trip member extending between said upper ends, and a trip operator pivotally mounted on said mounting bracket for actuating said trip member, means pivotally mounting said trip member on said trip operator, said trip member including an elongated bar and enlarged end portions, said upper ends of said latch dogs being in the form of sockets for said end portions, said spring means being in the form of, a tension spring extending between said latch dog upper ends.

5. A gate latch assembly comprising a latch arm adapted to be carried by a swinging gate, a mounting brackets adapted to be carried by a gate post, a guide member carried by said mounting bracket for engagement by said latch arm, a pair of downwardly converging latch dogs having lower ends engaging said guide member and being restricted in movement away from each other by said guide member, pivot means pivotally mounting said latch dogs on said mounting bracket, spring means urging the lower ends of said latch dogs apart and-resiliently retaining said latch dogs in engagement with said guidemember, said latch dogs having upper ends extending above said pivot means, a trip member extending 'between said upper ends, and a trip operator pivotally mounted on said mounting bracket for actuating said trip member, means pivotally mounting said trip member on said trip operator, said trip member including an elongated bar and enlarged end portions, said upper ends ,of said latch dogs being in the form of sockets for said end portions, said guide member being longitudinally curved to form ramps on said latch arm, said spring means being in the form of a tension spring extending between said latch dog upper-ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

